Braised Oxtail (Easy to Make, Incredibly Delicious!)
红烧牛尾（简单易上手好吃到炸！！） · pan chinese cuisine
The author has been craving braised oxtail ever since eating it at Hongbinlou, a famous Beijing restaurant, and found this recipe online so it wouldn't be lost. The amounts are small because it was cooked for just two people.
Tasha GreenleafVegan baker converting skeptics one chickpea brownie at a time. Allergic to boring vegetables. Aquafaba evangelist, sorry in advance.Nutrition & allergens
Contains:SoyWheat
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (2 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
Techniques you'll use
- Blanching (chao shui) ↗
Par-cook in boiling water to clean, tighten, or prep ingredients.
- Aromatic blooming (bao xiang) ↗
Bloom ginger, garlic, and chili in hot oil to build the aroma base.
- Stir-frying ↗
Cook small pieces in stages, then bring them together while their textures are distinct.
- Simmering (dun) ↗
Gentle low-heat cooking in liquid until flavors merge and meat softens.
- Starch thickening (gou qian) ↗
Thicken sauce so it clings to every piece.
Steps
- 1
Step 160 min
Soak the oxtail in water for 1 hour to draw out the blood.
✅ Done when: Done when the soaking water runs mostly clear and no more blood is visible.
Place the oxtail in a pot of cold water, blanch for 3 minutes, then remove it.
✅ Done when: Done after 3 minutes, when the surface scum has been released and the oxtail can be lifted out.
Heat oil in a pot, add scallion, ginger, garlic, and star anise, and stir-fry until fragrant (the author used onion in place of scallion and ginger). Add the oxtail and stir-fry, then add the cooking wine, sweet bean sauce, and soy sauce. Stir-fry, add water just to cover the oxtail, and simmer for 3-4 hours, or 40-50 minutes in a pressure cooker.
✅ Done when: Done when the aromas smell fragrant and, after the long braise, the oxtail is tender and the liquid has reduced around it.
Dice the carrot, add it to the pot with salt to taste, and cook until the water has boiled down.
✅ Done when: Done when the carrot is tender and the liquid in the pot has nearly cooked away.
Just before serving, stir in cornstarch slurry as needed to thicken the sauce, and the oxtail is ready.
✅ Done when: Done when the sauce has thickened and coats the oxtail with a glossy sheen.